Propellent charge holder



Aug. 13, 1940. c. e. STORM PROPELLENT CHARGE HOLDER Filed 001:. 24, 1938 Inventor Ehvlsman B. Etcwm E1 MMM /WM Attmvna 5 PROPELLENT O z-. 11

Christian a. Storm, Arlington, Ya. Application October 24, 1938, Serial No. 236,714

10 Claims.

-: GE HOLDER (Granted under the act of March 8, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates in general to a projectile which is chiefly adapted for use with muzzleloading ordnance and more particularly it has reference to a holder for increment propellent charges.

In the mortar projectiles disclosed in U. S. Patents 1,628,527; 1,883,758 and 2,070,946, it is proposed to provide a plurality of spaced, radial, stabilizing fins on the tail and to utilize the fins to carry propellent charges in capsule form, the capsule not contributing to the propelling force. The capsules are composed of a more or less inflexible and combustible material difi'erent from the propellent charge and in order to insure their retention between the fins they must be accurately dimensioned and the fins must be exactly spaced. Even when these requirements are met failure frequently occurs due to uncontrolled shrinkage of the material of the capsule. In addition it is extremely diflicult to obtain a secure joint between the cover and the body of the capsule and the joint is readily broken when it becomes necessary to force or snap the capsule into position between the fins with the result that moisture may enter the capsule and the enclosed loose powder may escape.

It is customary to issue a round of mortar ammunition with a maximum propellant charge and then, at the time of loading, to remove a portion of the charge as occasion requires. In view of this practice it is desirable that the separate charges be so arranged that they may be removed by an operator wearing gloves and under conditions of darkness.

VTith a view to eliminating the use of a container of non-explosive material and the storage and assembly disadvantages of the capsule charge while meeting requirements of production and service it is proposed in this invention to employ a flexible sheet propellent which may be inexpensively and conveniently assembled into various sized charges that will be retained in place by their inherent resiliency when placed between the fins and still be capable of easy removal.

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will clearly appear from a description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a View in side elevation of the tail of a. projectile carrying propellent charges in the manner proposed by this invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in end elevation; Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views of the charges; Fig. 5 is an end view showing a modified arrangement of holding a charge.

Referring to the drawing by characters of reference there is shown the tail of a mortar projectile comprising a central tube 5 having a.

threaded stem 6 for attachment to the body of the projectile (not shown) and having vents 1-1 in its walls for conducting the flame from a cartridge 8 to ignite the propellent charges -99 on the outside of the tube.

A plurality of longitudinal fins Ill-40, circumferentially spaced and radially arranged, are formed on or secured to the outside of the tube 5. The fins which serve in a well known manner to stabilize the projectile in flight, are preferably formed at their outer edges with flanges H to increase rigidity and they also include apertures I! to permit equalization of gas pressures on opposite faces of the fins and thereby avoid deformation of the fins.

The propellent charge 9 consists of a plurality of flexible sheets of a. propellent powder, the sheets being square, round, or of any other shape. The sheets are readily assembled to constitute a charge of any desired thickness and may be bound together in any convenient manner by clips l3 or cord It whereby the charge retains flexibility. v The size of the sheets should be so determined that, when grouped into a charge, the charge can only be placed between the fins or made to engage behind the flange II or in the apertures H by flexing it. Considerable tolerance is thereby permitted in the size of the charge and in the spacing of the flns.

In order to additionally insure the retention of the charge it is preferably of a size exceeding the distance between the engaged portions of the fins so that, when in place between fins, it will remain flexed whereby advantage is taken of its inherent resiliency to exert pressure and maintain it in engagement with the fins. As illustrated in the drawing the charge will preferably be bent away from the tube to facilitate overlapping of adjacent charges in one aperture I2 and also to enable an operator to easily place a finger betweenthe charge and the tube to eflect removal of the charge. I

q The charge may be readily inserted and as readily removed, even under adverse conditions. Charges that have been removed are not damaged and may be reinserted in other rounds when desired.

I claim:

1. A tail assembly for use with a projectile comprising in combination, a tail member having spaced elements, a resilient propellent charge positioned between said elements in interengaging relation therewith and having its dimensions between said spaced element-engaging portions thereof greater than the distance between charge engaged portions of the elements thereby requiring deformation of the propellent charge in said position, and means for retaining the propellent charge in said deformed .position.

2. A tail assembly for use with a projectile comprising in combination, a central tail member, a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially disposed fins secured to said central tail member, a resilient propellent charge positioned between a pair of adjacent fins in interengaging relation therewith and having its dimensions between fin-engaging portions thereof greater than the distance between charge engaged portions of the fins thereby requiring deformation of the propellent charge in said position, and meansiorming a normal part of said fins for retaining the propellent charge in said deformed position whereby the use of auxiliary securing means for the propellent charge is eliminated through use of its inherent resiliency as a securing agent.

3. A tall assembly for use with a projectile comprising in combination, a central tail member, a plurality of circumferentially substantially equal- 1y spaced radially disposed fins secured to said central tail member, a resilient propellent charge positioned between each pair of adjacent fins in interengaging relation therewith and each charge having its dimension between fin-engaging portions thereof greater than the distance between charge engaged portions of the fins thereby requiring deformation thereof in said position, and means for retaining the propellent charges be-'- tween the fins in said deformed positions.

4. A tail assembly for use with a projectile oomprising in combination, a plurality of radially disposed circumferentially spaced stabilizing fins, a resilient propellent charge comprised of a plurality of bound flexible sheets positioned between a pair of adjacent fins in interengaging relation therewith and having its dimension between fi'n engaging portions thereof greater than the'di's tance between charge engaged portions off'the fins thereby requiring deformation ofthe p'ro pellent charge in said position and means re-' leasably retaining the propellent charge between the pair of adjacent fins. in said deformed position.

. 5. A tail assembly for use with .a projectile comprising in combination, a central tail member, a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially disposed perforated fins secured to said central tail member, and a resilient sheet propellent charge disposed between a pair of adjacent fins in interengaging relation therewith, said propellent charge having opposed portions on a line of its greatest dimension protruding through the perforations of the adjacent fins and having its dimensions between the fin-engaging portions thereof greater than the distance between charge engaged portions of the fins whereby the ropellent charge will be deformed and stressed said position thereby being retained in said posi on by the inherent resiliency of the charge,

6. The structure of claim 5 wherein a resilient propellent charge of the character recited is disposed, between each pair of adjacent fins with alternate charges outermost and adjacent portions of adjacent charges overlapping in engaging relation. v

7. Thestructure of claim 5 wherein said propellent charge is comprised of a plurality of bound sheets forming a substantially rectangular charge and a diagonal of said charge is disposed to conform with said line of greatest dimension.

8. A tail assembly for use with a projectile comprising in combination, a central tail member, a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially disposed fins secured to the central tail member, said fins each being provided with opposed flanges adjacent their outer edges, and a rwilient sheet propellent charge having. opposed portions disposed in engaging relation with a pair of adjacent fins inwardly of the pair of adjacent flanges thereon in abutting relation therewith and having its dimension between said opposed engaging portions thereof sufilciently greater than the distance between charge engaged portions of the fins to deform the propellent charge in said position.

9. A tail assembly for use with a projectile comprising in combination, a central'tail member, a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially disposed fins secured to the central tail member,- said fins each being provided with opposed flanges adjacent their outer edges and with perforations inwardly extending from the flanges,

and a resilient propellent charge disposed between a pair of adjacent fins in interengaging relation therewith, said propellent charge having opposed portions on a line of its greatest dimension protruding through said perforations of the adjacent fins and abutting the flanges of said pair of fins, said resilient propellent charge having its dimensions between the portions thereof engaging the fins greater than the dista ce between charge engaged portions of the thereby deforming the propellent charge in sa d posiand disposed as recited and adjacent portions of adjacent charges overlapping in engaging relation.-

CHRISTIAN G. STORM. 

